Stuart D. Ames

Notable Experience

• $75 million syndicated working capital and partner investment financing to international law firm.
• $33 million revolving credit facilities for Austrian-based international bank.
• $22,750,000 credit facilities to partner-employees of private equity firm for limited partner capital investment financing.
• $22 million acquisition financing for major money-center bank.
• Represents major commercial banks and other financial institutions in leveraged buyout and acquisition financing, private equity investor financing, development bond and tax credit project financing, aircraft and vessel financing, syndicated financings, international finance, credit enhancement transactions, debt restructurings, and workouts.
• Recent transactions for commercial banks included over $200 million in aircraft acquisition financing.
• Represented a major money-center bank as Agent in a $700 million syndicated financing for a twenty-bank syndicate to a national home builder.
• Represented major commercial banks in connection with two $15 million unsecured lines of credit, $15 million secured letter of credit for cruise line, $50 million unsecured letter of credit and banker’s acceptance facility to holding company of Central American automobile dealerships, $235 million of secured revolving lines of credit and term loans to various law firms throughout the United States, $5.6 million private jet aircraft term loan.
• Represented REITs in $181 million secured acquisition lines of credit.
• Loan counsel in $50 million syndicated Fixed Rate Senior Note offering.
• Experienced expert witness in cases involving corporate, partnership, LLC and commercial financing disputes.

Credentials

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Bar Association, Section of Business Law, Special Consultant for State Liaisons to Corporate Laws Committee, 2006-2017
• American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers
  • Fellow, 2008-Present
  • Board of Regents, 2012-2016
• The Florida Bar Business Law Section
  • Executive Council, 1987-Present
  • Secretary – Treasurer, 1990-1991
  • Section Chair, 1992-1993
• The Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Corporate Law Revision Committee, Former Co-Chair, responsible for drafting the Florida Business Corporation Act (1989) and subsequent amendments
• The Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Entity Legislation Revision Committees, participated in drafting extensive revisions to the Florida Business Corporation Act, the Florida Revised Limited Liability Company Act, and the Florida Revised Limited Partnership Act
• The Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Corporations and Securities Committee, Chair, 1987-1990
• Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Past Commodore
• Village of Key Biscayne Charter Revision Commission, 2002 and 2007

Recognition

• Chambers USA, Banking and Finance: Transactional (Florida), Band 1, 2005-Present
• The Best Lawyers in America®, 2005-Present
  • Miami Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year, 2014, 2021
  • Miami Banking & Finance Law Lawyer of the Year, 2011, 2019
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-Present
• International Financial Law Review 1000 (IFLR1000), Highly Regarded – Florida, Banking, 2018-Present
• South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyers in South Florida – Corporate and Business; Commercial Finance, 2008-2017
• Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, 2008, 2010 – 2012, 2017
• Business Law Section of The Florida Bar, Outstanding Member of the Year Award, 2014
• American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers, Fellow and Member of the Board of Regents
• AV Preeminent® Top Rated Lawyer, Martindale-Hubbell